Council. Trees on the nature strip are council trees: council plants, prunes and removes them, and residents (and private tree companies like us) aren't allowed to prune or remove them. If a street tree is dangerous, dropping limbs, damaging your property or touching power lines, report it to your council.
Why you can't prune it yourself
Street trees are public assets. Boroondara is blunt about it: "You can't prune, remove or do works to a Council tree", and that covers nature strips, parks, public gardens and car parks. Whitehorse says the same thing more gently: you don't need to prune your street tree; let council know and a trained arborist will do the work.
That applies to tree companies too. We can't legally work on a council tree for you, even if you pay. What we can do is everything on your side of the boundary: your own trees, stumps and any branches over your property that council confirms you can cut.
How to report a street tree problem
| Council | How to report | Good to know |
|---|---|---|
| Boroondara | Online Report an issue form. Dangerous trees: (03) 9278 4444, any time. | Street trees are pruned for power lines every 18 months, or every 9 months under high-voltage lines. |
| Manningham | Online form or Customer Service on 9840 9333. | You can request a new street tree, or a replacement for a dead or damaged one. |
| Whitehorse | Service request or Snap Send Solve. Urgent: 9262 6333. | Requests are generally attended within a week. Street trees are only removed if council's arborist finds them dead, dying or dangerous. |
For trees on main roads, contact the Department of Transport and Planning (VicRoads) rather than council.
Will council remove a street tree I don't like?
Usually not. Whitehorse's policy, for example, is that a street tree won't be removed unless council's arborist finds it dead, dying or dangerous, and it only prunes to improve the tree's health or keep it clear of roads and power lines. Dropping leaves or bark is treated as normal, not a reason to remove a tree.
If a street tree is in serious decline, or your nature strip has no tree, you can ask council for a new one in Manningham and Whitehorse.
Power lines and phone lines
- Street trees near power lines: council is responsible for keeping them clear, on a regular cycle under the Electric Line Clearance regulations. That's why some street trees end up pruned into a "Y" shape.
- Your own trees near power lines: contact your electricity distributor. In Whitehorse, for example, United Energy clears trees on private property away from power lines.
- Phone and NBN lines: councils don't clear trees around communication cables. Contact NBN Co, Telstra or Optus directly.
Roots from a street tree damaging your property
Report it to council rather than cutting roots yourself. Cutting major roots can destabilise the tree, and you could be liable if it later fails. Boroondara has a dedicated process for tree root damage and stump removal from council trees, and its arborists inspect and do the work.
If the roots are coming from a tree on a neighbour's property instead, see our guide to neighbours' trees.
Sources
Rules change. Always confirm with your council before work starts. We checked these sources on 6 November 2026: